Motibahadur Saru Magar Earning Lakhs from Akbare Chilli Farming

Ramechhap. Farmer Motibahadur Saru Magar of Chisapani, Manthali Municipality-8—who was once well-established in Ramechhap district for tomato farming—has now shifted to Akbare chilli (Capsicum frutescens) cultivation.

He transitioned to Akbare chilli farming after it began yielding better income than tomatoes and other vegetables. He notes that chilli requires less investment and labor compared to growing tomatoes or other produce.

"Tomatoes require tunnels, and other vegetables suffer more from pests and diseases. But chilli can be grown in open fields, yields income for three to four years after a single planting, and fetches good market prices. If fresh chillies don't sell, they can be dried and sold later, making this crop very safe," he explained.

He has planted 1,200 chilli plants across roughly one ropani of land (approx. 5,476 sq. ft.). Out of this, over 5 quintals (500 kg) of harvested chillies have already been sent to market. He estimates that another 4 to 5 quintals will be produced during the remainder of the season.

The chillies harvested from his farm reach Kathmandu, Sindhuli, Bardibas, and even international markets, alongside the Ramechhap district headquarters in Manthali. According to Magar, there is strong market demand because it is a local, organic-style variety.

He shares that he can earn over 300,000 NPR annually from the chillies grown on just one ropani of land. "If I were to plant other crops, it wouldn't yield even 10,000 NPR, but 300,000 to 400,000 NPR worth of chillies grow right in this plot," he said.

Motibahadur points out that while direct market access could double or triple his earnings, local farmers currently lack that access. "In Kathmandu, it sells for 500 to 600 NPR per kilo, while we don't even get 200 NPR here," he expressed with regret.

He believes that if the government guarantees fair prices for farmers' produce, agriculture can yield strong profits. Encouraging such leading farmers and guaranteeing market access for agricultural products requires urgent state attention.